Demonstration of a software package for the reconstruction of the dynamically changing structure of the human heart from cone beam X-ray projections

The Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor (DSR) is a device constructed at the Biodynamics Research Unit of the Mayo Clinic for (among other things) the visualization of the beating heart inside the intact thorax. The device consists of 28 rotating X-ray sources arranged on a circular arc at 6° intervals (total span 162°) and a matching set of 28 imaging systems. The whole thorax of the patient is projected onto the two-dimensional screen of the imaging systems by cone beams of X rays from the sources. All of the X-ray sources are switched on and off within a total period of 10 milliseconds. The Medical Image Processing Group at the State University of New York at Buffalo has developed a software package for the design and evaluation of algorithms to be used by the DSR. In this paper we illustrate the operation of the package and a particular algorithm for the reconstruction of the dynamically changing structure of the heart from data collected by the DSR.     

Microbial O-carbamylation of novobiocin

Novobiocin was inactivated by Streptomyces niveus US 2094 in fermentation. The inactivation product was isolated and characterized by NMR and MS as 2"-O-carbamylnovobiocin. The MICs of novobiocin and 2"-O-carbamylnovobiocin were determined for S. niveus strains.     

Doppler velocimetry of intraplacental fetal arteries

Doppler velocimetry of the umbilical and intraplacental fetal arteries was studied by color flow mapping in 39 normal pregnancies. The systolic-diastolic ratio (S/D) and pulsatility index of the intraplacental fetal artery downstream to the umbilical artery decreased significantly with advancing gestational age, and its S/Ds were persistently lower than those of the umbilical artery. The difference in the S/D between the umbilical artery and its intraplacental downstream branches decreased with advancing gestational age and approached zero as the pregnancy progressed to term. We conclude that intraplacental fetal arteries, possibly fetal arteries in main stem villi, can be imaged by color flow mapping and that there is a significant "resistance gradient" between the intraplacental fetal artery and the umbilical artery. Intraplacental fetal artery velocimetry using color flow mapping may give further insights into the umbilical-placental circulation.     

Observation of nervous tissue in a Wilms' tumor: its histogenetic significance.

A case of Wilms' tumor occurring in a horseshoe kidney is reported in which bona fide nervous tissue containing ganglion cells was observed. This finding cannot be reconciled with the currently held "metanephrogenic blastema" theory of the histogenesis of this tumor. Masson's concept of "neuroepithelial origin" of the Wilms' tumor should be re-evaluated.     

The cholinergic deficit coincides with Abeta deposition at the earliest histopathologic stages of Alzheimer disease

Effective therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer disease (AD) will be most effective if it is directed at early events in the pathogenic sequence. The cholinergic deficit may be such an early event. In the present study, the brains of 26 subjects who had no history of cognitive loss and who were in early histopathologic stages of AD (average Braak stage less than II) were examined at autopsy to determine whether a cortical cholinergic decrement was associated with Abeta concentration or deposition. In the superior frontal and inferior temporal gyri, the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity of plaque-containing cases was significantly decreased (p < 0.05, unpaired, two-tailed t-tests), measuring 70.9% and 79.5%, respectively, relative to plaque-free cases. In the inferior temporal gyrus, Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed that ChAT activity had a significant inverse correlation with Abeta concentration (p = 0.075; r = -0.3552). The results indicate that the cholinergic deficit is established at an early histopathologic stage of AD, before the onset of clinical symptoms.     

环氧乙烷消毒的明胶海绵对耳螺旋神经节细胞的毒性研究

目的：研究并观察环氧乙烷消毒的明胶海绵对耳螺旋神经节细胞的毒性作用。方法：用比色法测定明胶海绵的环氧乙烷残留量，通过透射电镜观察明胶海绵放置豚鼠听泡内3个月后，耳蜗螺旋神经节细胞的超微结构变化。结果：明胶海绵的环氧乙烷残留量平均为438.32mg。螺旋神经节超微结构显示：Ⅰ型螺旋神经节细胞线粒体基质电子密度增大，嵴模糊不清，细胞质内出现空泡样结构，部分神经节细胞及其外周的卫星细胞溶解破坏，呈典型细胞死亡征象，卫星细胞髓鞘松解。出现空化。结论：明胶海绵的环氧乙烷残留量高出国家标准约40倍，其耳毒性接近氨基糖甙类灌注的毒性作用。     

小鼠胚泡着床相关基因的差减筛选

目的:筛选新的小鼠胚泡着床相关基因。方法:对孕4.5 d小鼠着床和非着床位点的子宫内膜组织进行PCR差减。获得了2个新的在小鼠胚泡着床位点高表达的EST(EST8和EST81)。结果:EST8在孕4.5 d小鼠着床位点、肝脏中表达较高,在非着床位点和卵巢中亦有微量表达。EST81主要在孕4.5 d小鼠子宫着床组织和卵巢中表达,其它各种组织中也有微量表达。用PCR方法获得了相应的全长。cDNA,长度分别为1665bp和1364bp。结论:用差减筛选获得的两种cDNA是孕小鼠着床相关基因,其功能有待进一步研究。     

体外受精胚胎移植后妊娠结局分析

目的　探讨通过体外受精 -胚胎移植妊娠妇女的妊娠结局。方法　对自 2 0 0 0年 9月～ 2 0 0 2年1 1月在我院实施IVF -ET的 75例患者 ,80个妊娠周期的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果　 80个周期中 ,宫内妊娠率 96 2 5 % (77/ 80 ) ,其中自然流产率 2 3 75 % (1 9/ 80 ) ;妊娠 <1 6周流产率 1 6 2 5 % (1 3/ 80 ) ;妊娠 >1 6周流产率 7 5 0 % (6 / 80 ) ,其中 5周期均发生双胎妊娠 ;分娩率 72 5 0 % (5 8/ 80 ) ,早产率 1 5 0 0 % (1 2 / 80 ) ,宫外孕发生率 3 75 % (3/ 80 )。新生儿死亡率 3 6 1 % (3/ 83) ,均死于三胎妊娠早产。结论　减少IVF -ET后多胎妊娠率 ,加强多胎妊娠的整个孕期监护 ,以利于减少多胎妊娠 >1 6周流产率及早产率 ,是降低IVF -ET后妊娠胎儿丢失的有效方法     

上海郊区老年痴呆症病人α-雌激素受体及芳香烃受体基因多态性

目的：探索上海地区农民人群中α-雌激素受体基因(ER-α)及芳香烃受体基因(Ahr)不同基因形态和老年痴呆症高发风险的可能联系．方法：分别以PCR—RFLP和AS—PCR方法分析一组老年痴呆症患者(n=52)ER-α基因及Ahr基因的多态位点，同一地区的健康人群(n=125)为对照．结果：Alzheimer症病人ER-α基因两个位点突变形态频率显著高于对照人群(Pvu Ⅱ位点：P=0．023，OR=2．94，95％CI 1．13—7．71；Xba I位点：P=0．046，0R=2．28，95％ CI 1．003—5．17)．Ahr G1721A位点基因型频率在病人组和对照组间无显著差异．结论：ER-α基因多态性可能与Alzheimer症易感性个体差异有关，本工作不支持Ahr基因多态性与老年痴呆症高发风险间的可能关联．     

草苁蓉提取物对大鼠肝癌前病变模型血清抗氧化酶活性及肿瘤坏死因子的影响

目的 :探讨草苁蓉甲醇提取后进一步分离的水层提取物在大鼠肝脏化学致癌初期对血清抗氧化酶活性和肿瘤坏死因子的影响 ,从而进一步探索其抗致癌作用的可能机制。方法 :按略改良的 Solt- Farber方法建立大鼠肝脏癌前病变模型 ,用草苁蓉提取物 (BR)饲养大鼠 6周后 ,取血测定超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH - PX)、谷胱甘肽 - S-转移酶 (GST)、过氧化氢酶 (CAT)的活性和血清中的丙二醛 (MDA )及肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)含量。结果 :草苁蓉提取物在大鼠肝脏化学致癌初期对血清 SOD、GSH - PX、CAT的活性及 TNF-α含量有回升作用 ,并能降低由于癌前病变的形成所增高的 GST活性及 MDA含量。结论 :草苁蓉水层提取物具有抗氧化作用和调节机体免疫功能的作用 ,而这可能是草苁蓉的抗致癌机制之一